Saturday, 15 March 2025
The Czech Republic has dropped five places in the latest Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), ranking 46th out of 180 countries, with a score of 56 out of 100—one point lower than last year and six below the EU average. Transparency International Czech Republic (TI CR) attributes the decline to the government’s lack of a clear anti-corruption strategy, delays in systemic reforms, and low political integrity.
TI CR criticized Prime Minister Petr Fiala’s government for only enacting anti-corruption legislation under external pressure from EU institutions and international bodies such as GRECO. “The ruling coalition has failed to tackle conflicts of interest in media ownership and subsidies, and it has also blocked necessary reforms in public procurement laws,” said David Kotora, TI CR’s director.
Among key concerns is the delayed reform of the State Prosecutor’s Office, which was only passed after sustained pressure from civil society and international institutions. Additionally, the legal framework for lobbying, required under the National Recovery Plan, remains incomplete, putting EU funding at risk.
The report also highlights high-profile corruption scandals, such as the Dozimetr affair, the ROP Severozápad case, and the Brno city flats scandal, as further evidence of unfulfilled promises of political accountability.
Regional and Global Trends: Slovakia, Hungary, and Russia Struggle
The Czech Republic’s decline follows a larger drop in Slovakia, which fell 12 places to 59th, with a five-point decrease in its CPI score. Transparency International warns that under Prime Minister Robert Fico, Slovakia’s anti-corruption reforms have been systematically weakened.
Hungary remains the worst-performing EU country, ranking 82nd with a score of 41. TI notes that the U.S. recently sanctioned Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s chief of staff, Antal Rogán, over corruption allegations.
Russia, ranked 154th, saw one of the biggest declines, dropping 13 places as state institutions were further dismantled to secure authoritarian rule. Ukraine, despite ongoing war with Russia, dropped just one place to 105th with a score of 35 points.
Global Leaders and Laggards
Denmark (90 points) retained the top spot as the least corrupt country, followed by Finland (88), Singapore (84), and New Zealand (83). Other top-ranking nations include Luxembourg, Norway, Switzerland, Australia, Iceland, and Ireland.
The United States fell four places to 28th (65 points), while China remained at 76th place (43 points).
Czech Republic’s Regional Standing
Among its neighbors, the Czech Republic is outperformed by Germany (15th), Austria (25th), and Poland (53rd), though it remains ahead of Hungary. Germany fell six places, while Austria and Poland each dropped five places in the ranking.
Transparency International warns that without concrete reforms and stronger political will, the Czech Republic risks further decline in future corruption rankings.
Source: Transparency International Czech Republic and CTK
